Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dearborn, MI and Monterrey

For one person, living is cheaper in Monterrey: $1,641 a month against $2,623 in Dearborn, MI, rent and utilities included – about $11,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Dearborn, MI, United States
Monterrey, Mexico
Dearborn, MI
🇺🇸 United States
$2,623
/mo nomad
Monterrey
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,641
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dearborn, MI and in Monterrey

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Dearborn, MI and in Monterrey actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,623 per month in Dearborn, MI vs $1,641 in Monterrey, rent included.

  • Dearborn, MI $2,623
  • Monterrey $1,641

A couple spends around $3,775 per month in Dearborn, MI vs $2,573 in Monterrey, rent included.

  • Dearborn, MI $3,775
  • Monterrey $2,573

A family of three spends $4,927 per month in Dearborn, MI vs $3,504 in Monterrey, rent included.

  • Dearborn, MI $4,927
  • Monterrey $3,504

Dearborn, MI costs about 60% more than Monterrey, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Dearborn, MI and Monterrey sit above the global median – Dearborn, MI by 94%, Monterrey by 21%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Dearborn, MI
Monterrey
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.09 $18.09
$13.37 MX$250
35.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$63.4 $63.4
$47.95 MX$897
32.22%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.10 $11.10
$10.79 MX$202
2.87%
Cappuccino
$5.55 $5.55
$3.77 MX$70.4
47.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.58 $2.58
$1.51 MX$28.26
70.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96 $1.96
$1.03 MX$19.25
90.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.06 $6.06
$2.48 MX$46.41
144.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.17 $8.17
$4.36 MX$81.5
87.39%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dearborn, MI
Monterrey
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.88 $0.88
$1.89 MX$35.43
-53.44%
White Bread (500g)
$3.37 $3.37
$2.85 MX$53.3
18.25%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.15 $4.15
$1.86 MX$34.71
123.12%
Eggs
$3.81 $3.81
$2.47 MX$46.12
54.25%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.74 $13.74
$11.81 MX$221
16.34%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.12 $11.12
$8.97 MX$168
23.97%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.27 $16.27
$12.57 MX$235
29.44%
Apples (1kg)
$5.09 $5.09
$3.20 MX$59.8
59.06%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 $1.61
$1.50 MX$28.12
7.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.11 $4.11
$2.12 MX$39.74
93.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.77 $3.77
$2.33 MX$43.64
61.80%
Potato (1kg)
$2.56 $2.56
$2.22 MX$41.58
15.32%
Onion (1kg)
$2.98 $2.98
$2.58 MX$48.34
15.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.29 $2.29
$1.45 MX$27.04
57.93%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.24 $2.24
$1.22 MX$22.85
83.61%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.17 $10.17
$4.80 MX$89.7
111.88%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.24 $15.24
$13.30 MX$249
14.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.46 $2.46
$1.93 MX$36.14
27.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48 $3.48
$2.86 MX$53.4
21.68%
🚌 Getting Around
Dearborn, MI
Monterrey
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.94 $1.94
$0.80 MX$14.94
142.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$63.3 $63.3
$30.94 MX$579
104.72%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.74 $2.74
$1.83 MX$34.28
49.73%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.37 $1.37
$1.06 MX$19.78
29.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$23.76 $23.76
$10.82 MX$202
119.59%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.09 $1.09
$1.47 MX$27.54
-25.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.6K $33.6K
$24.1K MX$450.4K
39.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.6K $25.6K
$23.5K MX$440.2K
8.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dearborn, MI
Monterrey
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$215 $215
$115 MX$2,144
87.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$60.4 $60.4
$26.37 MX$493
129.09%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$68.4 $68.4
$25.70 MX$481
166.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dearborn, MI
Monterrey
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.36 $39.36
$30.53 MX$571
28.92%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$21.27 MX$398
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.60 $12.60
$4.96 MX$92.8
154.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dearborn, MI
Monterrey
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,235 $1,235
$679 MX$12.7K
81.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$31.7K $31.7K
$14.2K MX$265.3K
123.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dearborn, MI
Monterrey
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.2 $60.2
$72.2 MX$1,350
-16.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.19 $41.19
$41.94 MX$784
-1.79%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$95.5 $95.5
$107 MX$2,011
-11.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 $119
$119 MX$2,219
0.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dearborn, MI
Monterrey
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,568 $1,568
$1,018 MX$19.0K
54.10%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,292 $1,292
$722 MX$13.5K
79.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,612 $2,612
$1,966 MX$36.8K
32.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,085 $2,085
$1,416 MX$26.5K
47.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,897 $1,897
$4,203 MX$78.6K
-54.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,925 $1,925
$2,782 MX$52.0K
-30.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dearborn, MI
Monterrey
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,749 $3,749
$1,096 MX$20.5K
242.11%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.49
11.79
-44.95%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Dearborn, MI: November 2, 2026

Last update for Monterrey: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Dearborn, MI
$1.3K
Monterrey
$722 44.2% $571
Groceries & Markets
Dearborn, MI
$390
Monterrey
$302 22.5% $88
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dearborn, MI
$344
Monterrey
$167 51.6% $177
Eating Out
Dearborn, MI
$309
Monterrey
$216 30.3% $94
Clothing & Footwear
Dearborn, MI
$142
Monterrey
$153 7.7% $11
Getting Around
Dearborn, MI
$81
Monterrey
$41 48.9% $39
Sport & Entertainment
Dearborn, MI
$65
Monterrey
$40 37.3% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,568 in Dearborn, MI versus $1,018 in Monterrey. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Dearborn, MI are about 3.4 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63 in Dearborn, MI versus $48 in Monterrey. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $390 vs $302 – making Monterrey the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Dearborn, MI
🇲🇽 Monterrey
🕒 Local time
10:06 10:06 AM
09:06 9:06 AM
1 h behind Dearborn, MI
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
92,382
1,142,994
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 18.7 MXN (100 MXN = 5.35 USD). 1 EUR = 21.01 MXN (100 MXN = 4.76 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Dearborn, MI Monterrey 2,420 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Dearborn, MI
  • Monterrey

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Dearborn, MI vs Monterrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Monterrey cheaper than Dearborn, MI?
Yes – Dearborn, MI is pricier by about 60%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,935 per month in Dearborn, MI and $2,461 in Monterrey. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Monterrey, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,018 there versus $1,568 in Dearborn, MI.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $1,235 per month in Dearborn, MI and $679 in Monterrey. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Dearborn, MI and in Monterrey?
Groceries cost about 29% more in Dearborn, MI, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $3,000 enough for either Dearborn, MI or Monterrey?
$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $2,623 in Dearborn, MI and $1,641 in Monterrey, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Dearborn, MI or Monterrey more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Monterrey – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Monterrey. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dearborn, MI makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Dearborn, MI vs other spots: cost of living compared

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